Australia’s World Cup touring party make-up may come down to toss of bat

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Seventeen players are vying for four positions in the squad that Australia will use to defend the World Cup in England this year.

As Trevor Hohns, Justin Langer and Greg Chappell weigh up the credentials of nearly three dozen candidates whose task it will be to win Australia’s sixth World Cup, they may already have a good idea of their preferred first XI.

That means their longest and toughest conversations will revolve around the reserve batsman, two spinners and back-up fast bowler.

PerthNow has identified 11 players virtually certain to be named in the squad on April 23 — even though question marks hover over at least three of those names — while another 20 have claims that will be seriously considered.

The selectors have 11 more one-day internationals to scrutinise the talent around the country and today’s series decider against India at the MCG is the last at home before the next 10 are played in India and the United Arab Emirates, in conditions alien to England’s more seam-friendly pitches.

The enormity of Australia’s challenge is underlined by the current plight of the three most senior players likely to be picked.

Aaron Finch will attempt to join Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke as World Cup-winning captains and while his leadership credentials are unquestioned — particularly with Steve Smith banned until 2020 — his form at the top of the order has provided plenty of headaches.

The gaping hole in Finch’s defensive technique has been exploited by India all this summer with the opener restricted to one half century in his past 22 international innings.

He will work closely with Langer over the next three months to rectify that flaw in a bid to be ready to go in a country where he has had considerable success in white-ball cricket.

WATCH: Australia captain Aaron Finch failed to make an impact in the first ODI against India, being bowled in the third over.

WATCH: Australia captain Aaron Finch failed to make an impact in the first ODI against India, being bowled in the third over.

Smith and David Warner will be selected — the lack of class in Australia’s batting ranks makes that a certainty — but their lack of high-level cricket during their year-long bans and the former captain’s elbow injury do little for Australia’s confidence.

That is why Shaun Marsh’s solid one-day form has made him an essential player and he will make his World Cup debut after he was out of form and favour before the past two tournaments.

The extraordinary strike power and all-round versatility of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell will put them in the list of seven batsmen, while Alex Carey has a lock on the wicketkeeping position even if his batting has not yet reached the level expected of a player promoted to open in his past two matches. That is an experiment that may last for a little while longer, though Langer and his offsiders will be closely considering other candidates to take on the new ball.

Test pace trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will translate their five-day selections into guaranteed places in the squad but WA’s Jhye Richardson is the only other quick whose pace and swing has locked him in to the tour.

That is the first XI and their selections should take about as long as it takes to write down their names.

The rest will take considerably more sweat.

Eight batsmen have strong claims, with several likely to be extremely unlucky to miss out.

They could include current squad members Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb and Mitch Marsh, recent selections Travis Head and Chris Lynn, and newcomer Ashton Turner whose recent Big Bash League form has been exceptional.

The choice may come down to two players who could open and have a second string to their bows. D’Arcy Short’s power makes him a player to match England’s heavy hitters Jos Buttler and Jason Roy who have career strikes rates above 100 while Cam Bancroft, who has not played any ODI cricket, could be a shock inclusion.

Bancroft’s ability to take the wicketkeeping gloves, strong Test relationship with Warner and versatility in the top order make him a player to watch.

His possible inclusion on the India or UAE tours would indicate the national selectors are thinking along the same lines.

Test off-spinner Nathan Lyon and regular one-day leggie Adam Zampa are likely to be named in the squad, though the identity of the spinner to take on Afghanistan in the opening fixture is much less clear.

Shane Warne was a critical figure in Australia’s 1999 triumph, claiming four-wicket hauls in the semifinal and final, and Zampa would point to that history to support his claims. Yet Lyon is the world’s best spinner and has been brought back in this series in a clear indicator that he is playing for a place.